Category: God (Theology Proper)

Josh and Dale are sad to announce Drew taking an indefinite break from the show, but they are also excited to welcome the newest member of the According to Christ team, Lance Jones. On this episode the guys discuss the 8th question of the Baptist catechism in their ongoing series, A Pattern of Sound Words.... Continue Reading →

The team discusses God's incommunicable and communicable attributes as laid out in the Baptist Catechism question #7: What is God? God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. Subscribe to our podcast!

We discuss the attributes of God from Louis Berkhof's book, A Summary of Christian Doctrine. We talk about the subject in the framework of his incommunicable and communicable attributes, drawing out the Creator/creature distinction and expressing how the gospel uniquely communicates to us God's attributes. Subscribe to our podcast!

Dale and Drew discuss the Trinitarian nature of the Christian faith and life. They look at a definition of the Trinity, explain the progressive revelation of this doctrine, and look at several key Scriptures in both Old and New Testaments. Show Notes: "The Trinitarian Nature of the Christian Faith and Life" (post by Drew) ... Continue Reading →

We address the misguided understanding that many Christians have regarding God's will for their lives. The will of God is not some mystical concept that is discerned through signs and subjective feelings. Rather, the Bible is full of principles, wisdom, and instruction regarding God's will for us. Subscribe to our podcast!

We discuss how "the light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare there is a God; but His word and Spirit only do it fully and effectually for the salvation of sinners." Show Notes: Ep. #19 Baptist Catechism Q1: Who Is the First and Chiefest Being? Ep. #21 Baptist Catechism Q2:... Continue Reading →

We start by discussing how God manifests his glory in and through his creation, then move into the focal point of our discussion as found in Genesis 3 (especially vv. 15 and 21). This theme of God's glory in salvation through judgment is a central theme that unfolds throughout the Scriptures, culminating in the cross... Continue Reading →

We continue with our series, Pattern of Sound Words, where we go through the Baptist Catechism. In this episode we discuss Q/A #2: "Ought everyone to believe there is a God? Everyone ought to believe there is a God; and it is their great sin and folly who do not." Show Notes: "Thankfulness and Prayer... Continue Reading →

We kick off a new series called "Pattern of Sound Words". In this series we are walking through each Q/A of the Baptist Catechism. These will be shorter episodes but will serve to ground listeners in a systematic understanding of Bible doctrine. In this episode, we discuss the first Q/A, "Who is the first and... Continue Reading →

We discuss one of the fundamental truths about God - he is simple in his being. This does not mean that God is easy to understand. Rather, "[it] means that He is not composed of different parts, and also that His being and attributes are one" (Berkhof). This doctrinal matter is so important that it... Continue Reading →

We answer the question, "What is the gospel?," by walking through a biblical framework, one that the apostles themselves utilized in their evangelistic messages: God, man, Christ, and response. Show Notes: What Is the Gospel? (book by Greg Gilbert) "Gospel Pillars: God, Man, Christ, Response" (post by Drew) The Gospel (page) Subscribe to our... Continue Reading →

The gospel is the good news about what God has done in and through Jesus Christ to reconcile sinners to himself. The following framework, what I like to call “gospel pillars,” presents doctrinal truths by which we may rightly understand and receive the promises and blessings of the gospel. While the section on Christ consists... Continue Reading →

What do we mean when we say that God is sovereign? It is true that God’s sovereignty speaks to God’s kingship over creation. However, some would attempt to define God’s kingship by first defining the kingship of men. They use the pattern of an earthly king to influence and inform their understanding of God’s kingship,... Continue Reading →

We progress through a two-column table in Will Metzger's book, Tell the Truth, where he contrasts a man-centered and a God-centered approach to evangelism under four categories: view of God, view of humanity, view of Christ, and view of response to Christ. Show Notes: Tell the Truth (book by Will Metzger) Approaches to Evangelism (pdf... Continue Reading →

Listen to Drew read this article: The first three chapters of Genesis lay the foundation for the rest of the unfolding of Scripture. It is only right to expect, therefore, that this theological foundation of God’s glory in salvation through judgment, if it is indeed central to the Bible, will be evident on its... Continue Reading →

Biblical theology is theology that is biblical, right? While that’s certainly a way in which biblical theology can, and often is, utilized, that is not what is particularly in mind here. Don’t get me wrong, biblical theology as a discipline, as related to systematic and historical theology, certainly seeks to be biblical. But there’s more... Continue Reading →

Doctrinal Overview The Christian faith is fundamentally a trinitarian faith. In other words, the doctrine of the Trinity is absolutely fundamental and central to our faith and life. So, just what is the doctrine of the Trinity? The doctrine of the Trinity is the teaching that there is only one God who eternally exists in... Continue Reading →

We discuss the concept of revelation in general then move into a fuller discussion of general and special revelation. We also touch on the related issues of exclusivism vs. inclusivism and cessationism. Show Notes: "Must They Hear?: A Case for Exclusivism (Contra Inclusivism)" (article by Drew) To Be Continued? Are the Miraculous Gifts for Today?... Continue Reading →

In the Bible, God has provided for us what I like to call his "three greats". An understanding of these "greats" helps us to think through the relationship between the law, the gospel, and the Church's mission. So, let us look briefly at these "greats". 1. The Great Commandment We find this "great" in... Continue Reading →

Dale and Drew kick off their systematic theology series titled "Evenings with Berkhof" where they base their discussion on Berkhof's Summary of Christian Doctrine. They discuss the nature, seat, and origin of religion, noting how religion is not a dirty word, is defined by God's self-revelation, and is rooted in the image of God in man.... Continue Reading →

"The cross of Christ, the climactic expression of the glory of God in salvation through judgment, is the turning point of the ages." - James M. Hamilton, Jr. God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment, 57

"What is the glory of God? I would suggest that the glory of God is the weight of the majestic goodness of who God is, and the resulting name, or reputation, that he gains from his revelation of himself as Creator, Sustainer, Judge, and Redeemer, perfect in justice and mercy, loving-kindness and truth." - James... Continue Reading →